Rajnath Singh Meets Shubhanshu Shukla, Calls His Memoir a ‘Remarkable Journey of Courage, Determination & Achievement’

New Delhi: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday met Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and hailed the astronaut’s journey as an inspiration for the nation’s youth.

During the meeting, Shukla presented the minister with a copy of his memoir, The Second Orbit. Singh later shared details of the interaction on X.

“Today, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla presented me with his book, The Second Orbit, which captures a remarkable journey of courage, determination and achievement,” the minister wrote.

“His extraordinary journey will inspire countless young minds to dream fearlessly, push boundaries and believe that no sky is beyond India’s reach. May his story inspire the next generation to aim high, believe in their potential and turn seemingly impossible dreams into reality!” he added.

Group Captain Shukla became the first Indian national to travel to the International Space Station and only the second Indian to go to space – more than four decades after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma’s flight to the Salyut 7 space station.

The Second Orbit, which chronicles Shukla’s ISS mission and experiences as an astronaut, was published on June 25, 2026, a year after his launch.

In August 2024, the Indian Space Research Organisation announced Shukla as the mission pilot for Axiom Space’s Ax-4 commercial human spaceflight. The crew also included Commander Peggy Whitson of the United States, European Space Agency astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and Hungarian mission specialist Tibor Kapu.

During the mission, the crew conducted nearly 60 microgravity science experiments, including studies on cancer growth in space and the effects of spaceflight on crop seeds.

Shukla is a recipient of the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award.